title: An empirical evaluation of recovery transformation at a large community psychiatric rehabilitation organization.
abstract: In recent decades, the concept of "recovery" from Severe Mental Illness (SMI) has gained increased prominence among organizations providing behavioral health services. Many states and organizations are currently developing plans to transform their mental health systems in accordance with recovery-oriented care. Even though efforts to bring the principles of recovery to mental health agencies have been well documented in the United States and abroad, there is little empirical evidence to suggest that recovery-oriented services are advantageous. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a recovery-oriented transformation carried out by a large, private, not-for-profit psychiatric rehabilitation organization serving individuals with SMI. This transformation targeted the philosophy and specific procedures involved in the provision of care to residents within the organization. The outcome variables selected to evaluate the impact of the transformation were grouped into the following categories: (a) objective indicators of recovery, (b) self-report indicators of recovery, (c) indicators of staff competency, and (d) processes that promote recovery. Six-hundred and 27 residents and 490 staff participated in the evaluation. The findings suggest that recovery-oriented services had a positive impact on rates of overnight hospitalization, residents' ability to function in the community, some professional skills of employees, and working alliance between direct care providers and residents. This indicates that comprehensive and well-structured recovery-oriented care may offer a cost-efficient and effective alternative to the deficit approach to mental health care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers, State University of New Jersey.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Malinovsky
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lehrer
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Silverstein
authors.forename: Stewart A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shankman
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Samuelson
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van Nostrand
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011788:Quality of Life; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000193:education; D012114:Residential Treatment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D057566:Self Report; D058992:Social Participation; D055815:Young Adult